Joke is on me.. won’t be booking with American Airlines anymore

American Airlines is horrendous.
Quick story....
Remember when wife and I lived in Fairbanks, Alaska--planned a Caribbean vaca--had a connecting flight in Dallas to Florida, ultimate destination was Jamaica. Anyway, our connection was really tight, and American didn't think we'd make it. They proceeded to sell our two first class seats to four different people!
We did make that connection, as runners (with carry-on only), wife and I boogied the mile+ to our terminal to be first in line! When two people, then two more, boarded the plane, came to first class and tried to take our first class seats, we told them 'hell no'.....compared booking dates for the flight attendant, our six-month-old bookings, compared to their hours-old tickets.
Parked our asses and wouldn't move and they couldn't make us. I did see a young serviceman walking by and told them that HE could have my seat, I'd take his. He politely refused and went back to coach.

After that we've never trusted AmA, complete snakes. An aside, wife is 10k miles short of her million with Alaska Air, a fine airline prior to the recent woke bullsh*t, she should have that million soon.
 
Anyone who grew up in the era of phone reservations and paper tickets being mailed to you knows how absolutely crazy air travel is now. I think so many of these issues are because the airlines are running constant algorithms to shuck and jive planes and people. It really pisses me off.
 
I fly 3-4 times a year so not a lot. I've flown Delta, AA, Southwest, Frontier, United, and Spirit (once), Alaska, Air New Zealand, Air Canada, and some that are out of business.

Basically nothing I would call an "issue"...bag show up delayed here and there, gun didn't get on the plain out of Bozeman even though I was there 1hr early on an absolute dead day as far as airport traffic. But that was more airport fault imo than airline.

Gun didn't arrive with us when we got back from New Zealand to MSP. Didn't make it on at our Denver connection. Next day at noonish door knock at the house and they delivered my rifle.

Last disruption I had really was going to Sheep Show two years ago when basically all airtraffic shutdown. Was supposed to fly out at 6am and get to Reno at like 11:30am. Didn't leave until 10am (cst) and got to Reno at 8p.m. (Pacific) Went from MSP-DEN-PHX-LGB-RNO. One connection I basically sprinted to the next plane. But my bag met me in RNO when I arrived. Best part is I missed setting up our booth so no loss for me. Showed up at perfect itme for dinner and drinks!

Other than those checking, oversized bags, coolers with dead stuff in them, guns, etc. The airport workers have been good and even put us on priority with firearms more than not and got us right to the front of the line. Most have asked a ton of good questions about types of guns and wanted to talk about our hunt. I must be lucky.
 
I know its not always possible for all but I only fly if I cant drive it in 12-16 hours. Most of my road trips are 9-12 hrs drive time. I get up before 4:30 am every morning anyway so I just get up at 4 and start driving.
I am where ever I am going by mid of the afternoon. If I get the urge sometimes I leave at 4-5 pm the day before and get 5 hrs drive time in. Get a hotel , Get up the next morning and be at my destination before lunch.
I used to enjoy flying but its gotten to be just a big PIA and even flying first class isnt first class travel anymore. I dread every trip when I need to fly. I like climbing in my truck in my garage and enjoying the road trip vs the crowded airport , lines, delays and the general public.

First class to me is my big comfortable seat in my pickup , my cooler full of drinks and sandwiches. I look forward to that type of travel.
 
I've flown AA with connections in DFW twice and both times have resulted in significant delays.
My last flight through dfw on AA resulted in a overnight delay. I was lucky some people on our flight were delayed 2 days. No comped hotel either. We did get hotel and cab vouchers, wasn’t a big deal only got home 18 hrs later.

I learned out local airport closes at midnight. Don’t want to be on that last flight in as it can get canceled if it’s too late.
 
I"m a loyal Delta customer, I've had minimal issues with flights over the years, I've got enough status that I have access to lounges, free checked bags, boarding first, and I get bumped to first or comfort + nearly every trip (I only buy main cabin tickets). I've got a quick international trip at the end of this month that I bought tickets for yesterday, the only thing Delta had was $4,500 first class seats, I had to go with AA ($700 ticket) .... I'm nervous .... last time I flew with AA was to Hawaii for an axis hunt. They lost my rifle and all of my flights were either delayed or cancelled.
 
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